Ivan Ivanovich

I can recall a good many discussions with friends and locals about the "academic brain drain" or loss of skilled labourers. A business partner and very close friend of mine who emigrated from Germany a decade ago, has had his own fair share of brain drain. A few years ago, he had huge problems to hire qualified staff. Even when offered identical wages, they preferred to cross the ditch from east to west and declined the job offer accordingly. The grass seems always greener on the other side. But if going abroad/crossing the ditch is the only way for trained and motivated people to make a decent/better living, who am I to blame them?

During my 18 trips to NZ since 1992, I too observed that travelling to NZ is indeed a bit like travelling back in time. But I love it just like that. And yes, many of my long-time Kiwi friends are constantly complaining "how dear everything is". Same here in Germany, by the way. During my very first trips to NZ, I was constantly wondering why some food prices were fluctuating that heavily from one week to another... NZ is different. And that's a good thing. Period. In the overall picture, and when being viewed from a German perspective, the overall living costs in NZ and Germany are fairly comparable. But it's true, you shouldn't go to NZ for a cheaper living. It's a wonderful country with wonderful people, and we decided NZ will be the perfect place "to do the next step". Both in business and in life per se. I hate to say it, but I've never been to Australia...

Container #1 positively had - by far - the biggest PITA-potential, but thanks to our highly experienced relocation provider (and two years of planning) it passed customs without any problems. They did a marvellous job on ponting out potential pitfalls during the entire planning process. Definitely money well spent. Also, community experience from German emigrants plus a little help from my Kiwi friends was priceless. The true PITA was the precedent paperwork, eventually comprising three crammed LEITZ folders - for a single container. Maybe you can imagine our relief when we got news all was fine, because "irgendwas ist ja immer".

The NZ Transport Agency has set up specific categories of LHD vehicles to be registered and operated. NZTA has also published a dedicated whitelist of applicable vehicles. Under certain conditions LHD vehicles can be exempted from the general RHD rule and are assessed on a case-by-case basis.

From a more easterly country? How comes?! Do you reckon it's got anything to do with my nick, avatar or potential soft spots for Soviet/Russian material or my ability to speak, curse, write and read Russian? No seriously, no need to apologise. All good. P.S. Somewhere along the way you were mentioning you were related to Germany in one way or another.

Until "Goodbye Germany. Hello New Zealand." Quite a break after 49 years (and after having served that country for 24 years until 2011)... But sometimes, it's just time to move on. Container #1 has made it safely to Lyttelton and cleared customs without any probs on Wednesday. Container #2 is scheduled to arrive on 9 January 2019. The cars and a few smaller things will follow early March. Greatest concern so far: not being concerned at all/lacking any sign of nerviness.

Madness, you say? "We're all mad in here." (More or less or to various degrees)

Alright, that pretty much answers my (rhetorical) question...

Thanks for sharing! Sorta reminds me how much I'd love to see new-tool A-/E-model Sabres as well as Limas and Hogs being kitted...

Jesses! (Maria und Josef, etc.) Five? Six? Did they grant you a volume discount?

I sense the Yuk is just what the doctor prescribed to cure the MuG blues.

2021, 2022 maybe... For three good reasons: (late series MiG-23ML built between October 1977 and early 1978 in splendid air superiority grey) (LSK/LV MiG-23MLA) "Addio Vandalo"

Silver Wings have produced some real gems, and quite obviously, the Yuk-Nein seems to be no exception to that excellent track record. Yummy!

<zip> "Lewinsky" is a fairly common name in Poland... </zip>

KRAKOW?! Lovely place, by the way. Meet the "Kiełbasa Krakowska" Smacznego! <buuuuurp>

Ой!

Did I mention this? I've got legs like a deer. Maybe not quite as slender but just as hairy.

Hobbits are immensely overrated. Hobbits, Possums. Either of them a hoggish bunch of scallywags.

Nice one! Sad reminder. Sort of... I owned a collection of vintage military and police SIG P210 guns, also including a not-so-vintage P210 Supertarget. With our moving to NZ already in sight, I sold them all off to a fellow collector, shooter and hunting companion. Next Monday, I'm going to return my gun, ammo and hunting licenses. For the time being, I will have to resort to my bare (knife) hands and M18 Claymores to keep the Possums off my lawn in NZ.

LOOOOOOOL My venerable iPhone is going to be put on the back burner. Not me. As of yet, no plans to retire any time soon. Nine or ten years, maybe. We'll see...

Laura got me a fresh load of ODDSocks for Saint Nicholas Day: (so far, proud owner of appr. 20 pair of them...) A gift to myself: (Happy retirement, iPhone! Hello Samsung!)

Not the faintest clue what you're referring to...

Those Germans are soooo umlaut. When I was still building German WW2 subjects, Matthew's site was one of my go-to online resources. Definitely well worth visiting.

Primus sucks...

No wonder men have a lower average life expectancy than women...